Radicchio, Pear, & Walnut Salad

Food

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Radicchio, Pear, & Walnut Salad

**adapted from the New York Times**

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

For the walnuts:

• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1½ cups walnut halves
• Salt
• Ground cayenne

For the dressing:

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil (you can use olive oil if you don’t have/want to buy walnut oil)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

• 1 medium head radicchio, leaves roughly torn into 1-2-inch strips
• 1 medium head chicory leaves, preferably Castelfranco, radicchio or Belgian endive, torn into 1-2-inch strips
• 2 firm, ripe pears, preferably Bartlett, Comice or D’Anjou

A few notes on making this:

• I love this salad at thanksgiving, and with heavier meals in the winter in general. The bitter radicchio and other chicories cut through the richness of the heavier dishes served at the holidays. 
• Pears, walnuts, and chicories feel particularly special at the holidays, adding some much needed in-season freshness, crunch, and bright as well as bitter flavors.
• The walnuts and dressing for this salad can be made a few days ahead—just make sure to store in airtight containers. When you’re ready to eat, slice the pears and radicchio, dress salad, and add walnuts

Directions:

• Make the walnuts: Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and simmer until you have a dark caramel glaze, about 2 minutes.
• Add walnuts and stir to coat well. Cook until fragrant and crisp, another minute or two. Dump walnuts onto a sheet of parchment. Let cool, then break apart any nuts that are stuck together. Sprinkle with salt and a good dash of cayenne to taste. Set aside. 
• While nuts cool, make dressing: Whisk together red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, walnut oil and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Make the salad: Put radicchio/other chicories in a salad bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Slice pears ¼-inch thick. Add to bowl along with dressing and toss well to coat. Top with a handful of candied walnuts. Serve immediately.